


January/February 2016 Tumblr Drabbles

by Nutriyum_Addict



Category: Parks and Recreation
Genre: Birthday Cake, Bubble Bath, Cockblocking, Couch Cuddles, Cuddling & Snuggling, Drawing, F/M, First Kiss, Magic, Menstruation, Parenthood, Pregnancy, Presents, Revenge, Roleplay, Sneakiness, Water Balloon Fights, girl talk
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-02-03
Updated: 2016-02-28
Packaged: 2018-05-18 02:28:58
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 20
Words: 11,229
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5894569
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nutriyum_Addict/pseuds/Nutriyum_Addict
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A collection of unrelated drabbles/ficlets posted on Tumble during January and February 2016.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Cuddle Buddies

Of course, if anyone ever asked him which of his children was his favorite, (and living in Pawnee, who really knows what strange question someone might ask him in casual conversation), Ben would obviously say that he loves all his children equally.

And he does, certainly, but there are moments when he’s having precious one-on-one time with each, that he thinks he might have a secret favorite.

But then he goes to the grocery store with Sonia and she smiles and chatters and waves and says, “hi,” to everyone and his heart swells or there’s a trip to the post office with Wes and the little two year old hides behind Ben’s legs the whole time and later, when he’s buckling him back into his car seat, Wesley will stretch his little arms towards Ben and softly say, “love you, daddy sock,” and Ben thinks he could die from all the emotions that he feels.

Or how now, when Leslie is upstairs trying to get the other two just-bathed and finally sleepy triplets tucked into bed for the night, he and a fairly awake Stephen are cuddling on the couch.

Sonia is a happy, friendly toddler who smiles at everyone, Wesley is shy and inquisitive and always has a little hand clinging to Ben or Leslie and Stephen…Stephen is his silly, rambunctious, little cuddle buddy.

Stephen was the first to laugh at three months old. They’d had a crocheted baby blanket spread out on the bed and were tickling each little three month old foot trying to capture some baby cuteness with their phones. Nothing but big eyes and almost-smiles until Ben added a funny face and acted like he was going to eat Stephen’s little green onesie covered foot and then the baby had gasped and grinned, letting loose with a crazy giggle that left both he and Leslie cackling right along with their son.

Now, Stephen isn’t laughing but he is in a pair of striped pajamas and bare little feet, squirming around in Ben’s lap, burrowing his head into his father’s shoulder, while Ben rubs the little boy’s back, trying to get him sleepy. But, for all Ben knows, he’s probably just recharging him and soon Stephen will be giggling and talking about cows and pancakes and robots and wanting to play.

“Hey, babe?” Leslie asks, her voice traveling down the stairs as she gets closer to them in the living room.

“Yeah, we’re down here.”

“It’s bedtime for…ohhhhhhh.” Leslie makes a face when she sees them and takes a quick picture with her phone-–him and Stephen both looking at her, snuggled up on the sofa together. “You two are so cute.”

“We really are,” Ben jokes, as Leslie sits next to them on the couch.

“Mommy hi!” the toddler shouts, quickly crawling over so he’s half on her lap and half on Ben’s. If nothing else, Ben thinks, his son certainly knows how to work a room. “ _Mooooo_ ,” Stephen adds at the end, pretending to be a cow.

“I think we should get this little cow-monster all tucked into his bed.”

Ben agrees, but he also doesn’t want this moment to end quite yet.

He’s also not really sure how he’s turned into the parent that is more lax about bedtime but there it is.

“Yeah, but let’s just wait–-”

“Five more minutes,” she says, smiling and giving him a look that lets him know that after the kids all get settled, there might be some _adult_ cuddling time.

Because, yeah he also knows that Leslie gets really turned on when Ben is being a cute, hot dad. She’s told him this exact thing and yes, he has used it to his advantage before. Maybe once or twice.

“Five more minutes,” he repeats to his wife, looking forward to carrying Stephen upstairs, kissing Sonia and Wesley goodnight, and then to what comes later, when it’s just him and Leslie awake in the house. “But first, I have to eat this adorable and delicious foot here.”

Stephen’s eyes widen and he starts laughing, shouting out, “not a cupcake!” before Ben even gets his son’s wiggly leg lifted up, his fingers barely tickling the warm little toes.


	2. Dear Smithsonian

“Ann. Ann. Ann. You beautiful exotic tortoise, I have so much to tell you!” Leslie says in a rush, sitting down quickly into the booth at JJ’s, across the table from her best friend. “Did you order me waffles?”

“I did. Extra whipped cream and everything,” Ann answers proudly.

“God, you are the best. You just know me like a sister. Better than a sister. Like myself. Like a _my-ister_...hmmmmm, that’s not very good,” Leslie decides, as Ann shakes her head in agreement.

“Well, you texted me ten minutes ago and asked me to order you waffles when I got here.”

“But I didn’t mention the extra whipped cream. You just knew to do that. Because you are the most insightful best friend in the history of the world and I love you,” Leslie declares, spooning a couple of teaspoons of sugar into her coffee and giving it a stir.

“Awww,” Ann makes a happy face and kind of wiggles her neck and shoulders. “I love you too. So what was so important that we needed an emergency Saturday breakfast?”

“Oh, I thought you deserved an update since you are the sneaky bastard that started the whole ball rolling with the Al Green song the other day. Well, I guess that didn’t actually start it, that happened when Ben kissed me, but you played a role in it all. You championed and supported the rule-breaking and that led directly to all the amazing sex.”

Ann smiles and laughs, her face full of support for Leslie’s enthusiasm. “So it’s going well? You and Ben?”

Leslie starts slowly giggling as she nods. It’s almost exactly the kind of giggling she’s been doing a lot of lately. In bed. With Ben.

“It’s going so, so well. I just…Ann? Did you know that sex could be this awesome? Oh, hi Marta!”

Their waitress kind of nods her head and smiles awkwardly as she puts Leslie’s plate of waffles down, followed by Ann’s eggs, sausage, and toast.

“I’m just really happy,” Leslie adds to their waitress before the woman walks away, trying not to laugh herself. “I’m really happy, Ann!”

“I can see that. I’m glad you’re–”

“He’s got the cutest tummy. I mean he’s all skinny and sleek like a gazelle of course, but then he’s got a little belly and it’s all warm and snuggily and it makes the best pillow. And he gets all ticklish and squirmy when I kiss it.”

Ann laughs. “That’s cute. Yeah, it’s so great in the beginning when everything is all new and fun and you have sex for hours and talk and cuddle.”

“To the bubble,” Leslie says, holding her coffee cup up.

“The bubble,” Ann agrees, as she clinks her mug against Leslie’s.

“Oh and Ben’s penis is just perfect. I mean, I never really had a strong opinion on the aesthetics before, but..this one is truly work of art. Do you think I should email someone in the Smithsonian?”

“Oh, I’m not sure-–”

“It’s a national treasure, Ann. They should really know about it. Well, and also his butt of course. That makes a great pillow too. It’s fun to grab onto it…it’s like Ben’s butt was made for my hands. And my head,” she says, nodding.

“Okay. Sure,” Ann agrees, finally taking a sip of her coffee.

“Also?” Leslie continues, because she’s so excited and happy how can she not share? With Ann, with Marta, with the Smithsonian…maybe she should even call Joan Callamezzo and give her the scoop?

If this didn’t have to be a secret for now, Leslie would definitely be tempted to let everyone know exactly how awesome it is to make out with Ben Wyatt.

“Doggy style is the best. You were so right about that,” Leslie says. “I never really got that before but…” she trails off, the giggle coming back full force, along with a blush and a shiver, as she remembers how Ben had even playfully slapped her on the ass last night, while he was behind her. “It’s just so much fun! And Ann, the way he said goodbye to me this morning. It was with his tongue. You know what I _mean_? " Leslie is pretty sure Ann knows what she means. "Oh, wait. Here’s an idea–-the Smithsonian should definitely know about his magical tongue.”

“Um…”

“Ben is actually still in my bed right now,” Leslie says, before diving into her waffles with gusto.

“Wow,” Ann comments, eyes wide. “You guys are really–-”

“Yeah, he said something about needing to sleep a bit more, but when I get home, I’m going to wake him up and attack him. With my mouth. He has no idea! Hmmmm, I may need more waffles,” Leslie frowns and looks around for their waitress. “Excuse me? I’m going to need another order of these! Thank you!”


	3. Kidnapping Should be Legal (if the Person Doesn't Like the Original Star Wars Movies)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For the prompt: What if Sonia's first boyfriend doesn't like the original Star Wars? What would Ben do?

“Uh, dad, remember that Tim is coming over for dinner tonight. So you and mom can meet him,” Sonia says and then takes a bite of her waffle and chews nervously.

At least Leslie thinks her daughter is chewing nervously. And also, Stephen and Wes exchange a worried glance around the table.

Uh-oh. This can’t be good.

“Yeah, I know. I’m looking forward to it,” Ben responds, giving his daughter a smile.

“Right. And I’m looking forward to him meeting you guys. He’s really great. There’s just one thing, and um, I mean, I probably don’t even need to bring it up, but I know how you hate surprises so…just in case it comes up during dinner…“

But then Sonia trails off as Ben frowns.

Oh no, Leslie thinks. Face tattoo? Calzone-hater? Offspring of former Eagletonions? Well, actually that one would be more her thing so she’s not quite sure what her daughter is getting at here.

“Sonia? What–”

“ _Timdoesn’tlikeanyoftheoriginalStarWarsmovies_ ,” Sonia says in a rush.

“What?” Ben stares at her. “Wait…what? Leslie? What did she just--"

“I said,” Sonia takes a breath before continuing. “That Tim doesn’t really like the original _Star Wars_ movies. But, I mean, it’s no big deal. He doesn’t hate them or anything.”

“Okay, sweetie, I think you might be confused,” Ben says patiently. “One, two, and three aren’t the original movies. And that’s okay, nobody likes those so…”

“No. No. I know. I mean _A New Hope, The Empire Strikes Back_ , and _The Return of the Jedi_. He doesn’t like those. He actually really likes _The Phantom Menace_ and–”

“Oh boy,” Leslie interrupts.

“What?” Ben asks, looking at his daughter and then over to Leslie. Then back to Sonia again.

“He thinks the first ones are kind of…cheesy,” Sonia says softly.

“Cheesy? He thinks–”

“Hey, I’m going to get going, I want to study before class,” Stephen says, getting up from the table.

“Yeah, me too,” Wesley adds, racing his brother to the kitchen door.

“Bye!”

“Good luck!”

After the boys leave, the remaining members of the Knope-Wyatt household continue to stare at each other.

“But how…I mean…you love those movies! How could you even-–”

“I do,” Sonia agrees. “But I also really like Tim and it’s not such a big deal if we don’t love all the same things. I mean, mom hates U2 so-–”

If Ben wasn’t shocked before, he seems to be now. “What?! Leslie?”

Leslie widens her eyes and gives Sonia a look that makes her daughter shrink down a bit in her chair.

“I don’t hate U2, Sonia. They are just not my favorite band. I like a couple of their songs. One or two. Maybe four. I mean, for all you know Madeleine Albright doesn’t even like U2. So there! I just…you know what? It doesn’t even matter. You’re right, Sonia. Couples do not have to like all of the same things and I’m sure Tim is a very nice person.”

Leslie ignores Ben’s snort.

“Why don’t you go to school now. We’re happy to have Tim over for dinner tonight.”

After Sonia leaves, Ben stays at the table sadly staring at the remaining toast on his plate, before telling her, “Okay, here’s what we’re going to do. After dinner, we’ll all go into the living room and watch the original movies. I’ll hook up the old VCR and we’ll watch my original VHS tapes. Not the new crappy versions on the DVDs. No wonder the kid isn’t completely on board with everything.”

“Babe. It’s a school night. We can’t kidnap Tim until three AM.”

“He can stay over.”

She makes a face. “Really? Your sixteen year old daughter’s new boyfriend can spend the night?”

Ben reconsiders this. “Alright. I see what you’re saying. We’ll just do the first movie tonight and Tim can come back tomorrow and Friday and we’ll finish up. And then he’ll see how wrong he was and I can rub his nose in it.”

Leslie laughs and is relieved when Ben’s face softens a little and he almost smiles.

“Honey, we also can’t hold a minor hostage until he says likes the original _Star Wars_ movies.”

“Yes we can. I’m a congressman and you’re the Governor of Indiana! We can do anything we want to this little twerp. A teenager in a Jar Jar Binks t-shirt is not going to come into our home and…” Ben trails off and takes a deep breath. “Okay. I am maybe overreacting just a little.”

“Yes. Maybe just a little,” Leslie agrees.

She gets up and stands behind Ben’s chair and then leans down to wrap her arms around her husband. She’s pretty sure he’s going to go find his old VHS tapes after breakfast anyway. Just in case.

“But good lord, babe. What is wrong with him?” Ben asks. “And also why don’t I put _The Joshua Tree_ on while we clean up and load the dishwasher? I think if you just really listen to it…”


	4. Ben-pillow

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For the prompt: okay really i just need ALL THE FLUFFY PREGNANCY FIC there just isn't enough out there and i adore your writing!!! C:

“Actually, a glass of wine would make this perfect,” she tells him, rolling her neck gently against the edge of the tub.

There’s a folded up towel there acting as a pillow and between the soothing hot water and the vanilla scent in the air, Leslie’s feeling pretty good tonight.

Even if she also sort of feels (and looks) like a whale–-a happy and contented whale, but still.

“Yeah. Sorry. How about ginger tea instead? Or milk?“

Not exactly thrilled with either choice, Leslie closes her eyes and then smiles when she feels Ben’s hand stretch under the water and slowly slide over her stomach, coming to rest just below her belly button.

She sighs happily. “Maybe in a bit. I don’t want you to leave yet.”

“Alright. Do you have enough bubbles?”

“Yes.”

“You’re not even looking, how do you know?”

Leslie opens her eyes and looks around the tub. “Plenty of bubbles, babe.”

Ben is studying her from his spot on the edge of the tub, a sweet but concerned expression on his face. The same expression that he’s been wearing pretty much the last five months.

His face is not exactly relaxed, but it’s not panicked anymore. Ben’s spent enough time with his planning spreadsheets and Dr. Buttons to have figured out at least enough of an 18-year financial plan to keep from freaking out.

Well, that and also some strategic (and awesome) _sham-wowing_ to keep everyone’s stress levels low.

Last month’s amniocentesis was fine and with every doctor’s appointment and ultrasound, this just all seems to be more and more exciting. Best of all, she knows he feels it too and that he’s just as enthused about having triplets as she is now.

Why have only one baby when you can go triplets right off the bat?

“Oh!” Leslie gasps in surprise, eyes widening and meeting his. “Did you feel that? Wow! That was a strong one.”

Ben is grinning as he moves off the tub’s edge to kneel on the floor and push his hand over to the far right side of her belly, where the kick came from. His shirt sleeve isn’t pushed up quite far enough, but he doesn’t seem to mind that some of the material gets wet.

“I did. I still can’t believe they can do that. And you’re sure it doesn’t hurt?”

She shakes her head. “Nope. I just feel like I’m a drum or something. I like the way it feels, actually.”

“Oh,” Ben’s eyes widen and soon his other hand is in the bathwater too. “It happened again. They’re so active tonight.”

“They like bath night too. Get in here with us.”

“Don’t you want me to make you some tea?”

“Later. I’d much rather have a _Ben-pillow_ now. And you did say that you’d get me anything I wanted.”

“True,” Ben agrees.

She watches as he gets up and uses a towel to dry his hands off.

His shirt and pants fall to the tiled floor quickly, joined soon by his boxer-briefs and socks. Leslie sits up and tries to move forward a bit so that he can squeeze in behind her and then… _ahhhhhh_ , Ben-pillow.

“How’s this?”

“Now this is perfect,” she responds, as his arms circle around her and Leslie leans back.


	5. I Don't Like Goodbyes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wafflesjunior prompted: "I don't like goodbyes" Robert/Marlene

“Bye-bye. Good bye, sweetheart,” he says, watching the nurse take the small one-day old baby from the room, before turning to his wife in her hospital bed. “I don’t like goodbyes.”

“Robert, they’ll bring her right back. They just need to do some tests.”

“They better. I need to count her cute little fingers and toes again.”

“There’s ten of each,” Marlene says, smiling.

“I can’t believe the Pawnee Hospital was overrun with raccoons and we had to come here. To Eagleton. Are you sure you couldn’t have held your knees together until they got the place cleared out?”

She knows he’s joking but she feigns shock to mess with him. He’s so adorable to mess with. “Robert Knope, would you really have wanted me to give birth to our child in a just-infested, disease-filled room?”

“No. I suppose not. And also, just for the record, I fully support you having your knees open whenever you want.”

She laughs at his silly, suggestive words. “You’re very lucky that you are a wonderful man and that I love you so much.”

“That I am,” he agrees. “So very, very lucky.”

“Besides, our little girl was very eager to be born. I don’t think even that would have slowed her down.”

“Leslie Barbara Knope. Hey, are you sure you don’t want to name her Leslie Barbara Griggs-Knope?”

Marlene shakes her head. “No. I think Leslie Barbara Knope is just perfect.”


	6. It's Okay, You're Okay

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Merger-she-wrote prompted "It's okay, you're okay."
> 
> Also, Ben talks to his penis.

"Where did the eagle go?” Ben asks, suddenly awake. “Lewis? Lew–”

“It’s okay, you’re okay,” Leslie tells him, as she closes her book and prepares to give her husband her full attention–-her nonsensical, adorable, morphine-filled husband.

Ben kind of looks at her and then around their room at the Motel Six in Rockford, all unfocused and a little unsteady before he finally manages to sit up beside her in bed.

“Do we have any candy?”

Of course they have candy. She hands him a chocolate kiss from the bedside table.

“ _Mmmm_ , thanks snug-bug. Beautiful Leslie-noodle. Strudel-pie.”

“How are you feeling?”

“Groovy. Good. Garage band beans. Hey. I can’t feel my penis. Is it still…” he trails off, trying to tug his pajama bottoms down. Ben makes a relieved noise when he finally gets the waistband pulled down far enough to make visual contact. “Oh, great news–-here it is.”

Ben turns to her. “See? It’s right here where it usually is.” Then he looks down and addresses his penis directly. “Hi. Feel better soon. We’ll get lunch at Jurassic Fork. Some cheese-a-saurus bread for you and–”

“Okay, honey, why don’t we put that away for now and try to get some sleep?”

“Alright. But I can’t feel my toes. Can we make sure they’re still there too?”


	7. Sonia Crawls

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> wafflesjunior prompted: the first time a triplet gets lost, which I interpreted as, the first time Ben loses a triplet.

Leslie does this sometimes and Ben thinks it’s completely adorable.

The way she pulls the afghan up to her chin while dozing off, all the while muttering about Environmental Impact Statements or footie pajamas or kale monsters.

His wife will still get up by seven in the morning on the weekends, but ever since the babies were born, around three in the afternoon (when the triplets go down for a nap too), she’ll end up on the sofa, lying down and fast asleep by about 3:15. And when she finally wakes up about an hour later she will insist she was just “resting her eyes. For a minute. What? I wasn’t sleeping. You were sleeping.”

Right.

And she snores too, little cute snorty snores that make Ben smile. Also, he’s taken a video of her on his phone for evidence, but he’s never actually shown it to her. He doesn’t need to. Ben knows he’s right.

Plus, again, it’s incredibly adorable.

But this Sunday, a little after Leslie goes down for her nap, he hears Sonia on the baby monitor, starting to cry and make a fuss.

Ben doesn’t want her to wake up her brothers or Leslie, so he hurries up the stairs and gathers his cranky daughter in his arms. And really, any excuse to hold and cuddle one of the babies is just fine with him.

At just over six months, this is also finally starting to feel real, but honestly, he’s still amazed every time a little hand wraps around his finger or he gets a giggle as a reward for making a funny face.

After Ben makes sure there’s not a diaper situation, he brings Sonia back to the living room and gets down on the floor with his daughter and settles in for some quality one-on-one time. She’s babbling lightly and smiling, all while she kind of pushes up on her arms–-like cute little baby push-ups.

“You can do more push-ups than daddy,” Ben tells her softly.

He’s probably exaggerating. He hopes he is. He should really try to do some push-ups tonight before bed.

Ben reaches in his pocket for his phone to take a video but it’s not there…it’s over on the coffee table.

After whispering a quick “don’t go anywhere,” to his daughter before getting up to grab his phone, he comes back about three seconds later to find that…she’s gone.

She totally went somewhere.

“Sonia?” It’s a whisper because Leslie is still sleeping a few feet away but the volume in his voice in no way conveys the panic–-the confusion and complete _what the fuck?_ -ness of the situation.

How…where…how did he manage to lose his six-month old daughter in the house? In under five seconds?

“Sonia,” he whispers again, quickly moving over to the spot where she just was.

He turns his head to the side and sees a quick flash of pale green onesie, but it’s gone from view behind the chair almost immediately.

“Whoa, whoa,” he manages to get out, as he makes his way towards the brief glimpse of baby foot to see Sonia speed-crawling towards the kitchen–-where they keep the knives and forks and calzone cutters and every other sharp and pointy thing in the house, and how they hell did she learn how to crawl already?

When he scoops her up, just as her little hands make contact with the cool tile floor, Sonia makes a gleeful, surprised noise to suddenly be five feet off the ground and in his arms.

“Dadadaadada,” she tells him very seriously.

“Honey, you scared me,” he explains, hugging and snuggling her close. “Please warn daddy before you do something new.”

Sonia is the first to crawl, which means her brothers won’t be far behind, which means they need to finish baby-proofing the house like, today.

They need get all the baby gates up and secured and bubble wrap all the pointy edges and oh my god, Ben thinks sadly, high school is just around the corner. And then they’ll all be moving away to college and he won’t be able to tickle their little toes and pretend to eat their noses, all while silly high-pitched baby laughs fill the room.

“Hey, babe. What’s going on?”

Ben turn towards the couch where Leslie is looking at him, all tousled blonde hair and sleepy blue eyes.

“She crawled. Sonia crawled really fast and I thought I lost her and you were asleep and-–”

Leslie sits up, suddenly very alert. “She crawled?”

Ben nods. “Yeah. I just looked away for second and she was practically in the kitchen.”

“With the knives and the stove and the pizza cutter?”

“I know!” Ben nods again, eyes wide, walking over and sitting down next to his wife. And also, fuck, he forgot all about the stove. Good lord, their house is really dangerous.

Sonia giggles as Leslie takes her from Ben and cuddles the baby in her arms.

“Also, I was just resting my eyes.”

“Alright,” Ben agrees, smiling into a kiss with his wife as their daughter, now tired from her explorations, gives a little yawn and closes her eyes.


	8. They make looooooove. Beautiful love.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Written for the prompt: Leslie telling Ben about Andy's song during her trial!
> 
> This is based on that one deleted scene from the gifs during The Trial of Leslie Knope.

Leslie snuggles closer against him, enjoying the relief of her trial being over. Even if she is suspended for two weeks.

And Ben is now unemployed.

Okay, both of those things completely and utterly suck, but at least now she’s not a jumble of nerves and anxiety and stress like she was this morning when she headed to City Hall at three.

At least now, she knows that Ben loves her and also, he knows without a doubt that she loves him and Ethel Beavers is safely back at home, out of the snow, and she and Ben are warm and cozy and naked in his bed.

They just had amazing sex and probably, they were a little too loud (usually, they were careful to keep it quiet at Ben’s place–-of course, in retrospect, not quiet enough), but now, it’s all kosher so she hadn’t held back at all when he’d spread her legs and used his tongue to make her moan. And honestly, he’d even seemed a little louder than usual as he’d thrust into her, holding onto her hips and sucking at the skin of her neck.

But now, as Leslie wraps her arms around him even tighter, she giggles.

“What’s so funny?”

“Oh, just something from today. During the trial.”

Ben turns his head to look at her. “There was something funny? During your ethics trial?”

“Yeah. Just this thing during Andy’s testimony where-–”

“Oh,” Ben interrupts, smiling. “Okay. That makes sense. What did Andy do now?”

She studies him. Maybe she shouldn’t tell him. It might freak him out.

Ben is really…private about sex things and he probably has no idea that at least Andy (if not April too), could hear them while they…did stuff in his room. And honestly, that part freaks her out a little too, but the sentiment of the song was also kind of sweet.

And it did say Ben was good, so it’s not like he has anything to be embarrassed about.

Nope. Not at all. He’s really excellent at the sex stuff. But also, she supposes it is a little weird that Chris and everyone on the committee and even Ethel Beavers knows that Ben was and is _hitting that real good_.

“Babe?”

Leslie smiles as she turns towards him fully, her hand sliding up to support her head as the comforter falls down just a bit to reveal the top of her breasts. Okay, good. Maybe that will help distract him a bit.

“Okay, I’ll tell you, but it’s no big deal, so don’t freak out. It was actually sort of cute.”

“Alright,” Ben says slowly, as he checks out her boobs. Yep. She knows him so well.

“During Andy’s testimony, he sang a song. Well, he also admitted to stealing a laptop, but it’s the song that was-–”

“Sure. That seems like something that would happen. What was it about?”

“Us.”

Ben makes a face. “Us? What do you mean?”

“Well, I could sing it for you. I think I remember it,” she doesn’t give him time to agree, she just starts.

Leslie even thinks she does a pretty good job of singing it like Andy did, although Ben’s impression of his roommate is much better. A couple of times at her place, he’d serenaded her with a post-make out version of _Sex Hair_ that had left them both rolling around her bed and giggling.

“ _I heard ‘em hooking up, I thought to myself, damn he’s good for a nerd. He’s probably hitting that real good_.”

Before she starts the next bit, she sneaks a look at Ben. His eyes are wide and his mouth is kind of hanging open.

Too late now. She takes breath and continues on.

“ _Oh Knope, spread your wings and fly. I don’t know why you like him so much, cause he’s suck a dorky guy. Oh Knope, spread your wings and fly. But it’s not her wings she’s spread, cause she’s with Ben in bed…_ ”

Ben manages a “good lord,” while she finishes up.

“ _Spreads her legs instead. They make looooooove. Beautiful love._ ”

Ben blinks while she waits for him to say something.

Finally, he manages, “He sang that?”

“Yes,” Leslie confirms. “He did.”

“During your trial…in front of…um, everyone? That song? That’s what he sang?”

“Yes. But babe, it’s not-–”

“Oh my god, you mean that’s in the transcript?”

Leslie nods. “Yeah. It is. But it’s kind of–”

“Weird? Embarrassing? Unprofessional? Feel free to stop me if-–”

“Sweet. I was going to say sweet.” Leslie decides not to mention how she stood up and clapped when Andy was finished.

Ben stares at her, not angry or anything, just looking confused. “Sweet?”

“Yes. I mean, first of all, he says you must be good, which trust me, you are. You are awesome, so no worries there. And also, he said we _make love_ , which is what this is, right?”

“Yeah, alright, but Leslie, aren’t you bothered by the _spreads her legs_ bit? Or that they can even hear us at all? Because that is…unsettling.”

“Well, it’s not ideal, in a transcript of your ethics trial, no,” she pauses and smiles when Ben seems to be loosening up a bit. “But, also it’s Andy so, somehow it’s not that offensive? Does that make sense? And yeah, I’m trying not to think about the fact that they’ve heard us, but is it really any worse than Ron and the Ruth Bader Ginsburg call?”

Ben shudders at her words. “Oh god, I had almost managed to forget about that, thanks for reminding me.”

“Sorry.”

They stare at each other for a few seconds and really, he’s taking it pretty well.

“So…I’m a nerd and a dorky guy, huh?”

Leslie laughs, moving closer to kiss him.

“In a good way.”

“Alright.”

Finally, he’s grinning fully at her and the next time they kiss it’s all smiles and lips, and when she giggles against him, he just reaches out and tugs her closer.

“How does it go again?” He asks, after a few minutes of snuggling and kissing. Ben rolls them onto their backs, as she settles her head on his shoulder.

“You want me to teach it to you? We can sing it together.”


	9. Back Seat Plan

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For the prompt: idk if you've already done this or something similar (if you have I apologize), but post finding out the sex of the triplets fluff :)

“Wow,” Ben says, still sounding a bit stunned as he sits beside her in their car. “I…we…they…” he trails off.

He hasn’t even put the key in the ignition yet and she thinks her belly is still a bit slimy from the ultrasound, not that she can really feel it. Instead she just feels…giddy and amazed and like she’s in this happy baby-bubble.

_Babies-bubble._

Leslie doesn’t quite know how to respond to his wow so she just smiles. Honestly, she hasn’t stopped smiling since Dr. Saperstein first gave them the news and pointed out two little penises and one non-penis on the ultrasound monitor.

Ben turns to her. “I mean…it’s been kind of theoretical so far, you know?”

She nods in agreement. It really has. They haven’t even been able to talk about names seriously yet.

“But, um, now we’re having a daughter and two sons. This is real. It seems so real now. Leslie, this is really happening.”

At his words, she bursts out giggling because holy crap, they’re having a daughter and two sons!

“Before this, it was just oh, we’re having triplets-–”

“Right,” Leslie says. “Triple cherries. The _‘lets_. In my uterus. Because of your awesome sperm.”

“And your amazing going out of business egg sale. But now it’s like… _whaaaaat_? Two sons? A daughter? In there?”

“I know! They’re all in my uterus right now! Two little penises and a vagina!”

Ben’s eyes widen and he nods adorably and suddenly all she wants to do is climb into his lap and smother his face with kisses. She tries to accomplish this but gets kind of trapped trying to maneuver out of her seat yelling out, _Ben! help!_ as he assists her in sitting back down on her side.

Cuddle-blocked by the stupid cup holder.

“Come on,” he says, opening is door.

“Where are we–-”

“Back seat.”

“Oh, good plan.”

Leslie manages to get out fairly easily and soon she’s next to him in the much more roomy back of the car.

“We’re having two sons–-”

“And a daughter,” Ben finishes, grinning at her.

As soon as the words are out of his mouth, Leslie attaches herself to his lips. His perfect multiple baby-making lips.

Well, okay, it wasn’t quite his lips that did it, but they still deserve some of the credit. If his lips weren’t so great, she never would have discovered his butt, or secret dated him, or married him, or let him put babies in her with his penis.

“Are you okay with the combination?” He asks, after a suitable amount of kisses.

“Two boys and a girl? Yes,” Leslie nods. She really is…right now, she couldn’t think of anything that would be better. “It’s perfect. Are you–-”

“Yes. I…yeah…” he trails off again, his eyes getting a little watery as he reaches forward and places a hand on her growing stomach. “This is our family.“

Crap. Now Leslie’s starting to cry. “We should just live in this car right here and raise our family. Our two sons and our daughter.”

Ben starts laughing through his own tears. “You are a goofball and I love you very much and this backseat is way to small for all of us to live in.”

“I know,” she agrees. “I was kidding.”

“Were you?” Ben teases. “Because babe, sometimes you suggest very silly living arrangements and-–”

She interrupts him by crawling into his lap, the babies (two sons and a daughter!) cradled between them.

“Stop talking and kiss me.”


	10. Bad Vice President

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For the prompt: all the spanking! 
> 
> Sorry, I probably failed you with this...

“You’re a very bad vice president,” Leslie whispers in his ear, before moving back up and taking in the sight of her naked husband on his hands and knees, his cute perfect butt right in front of her.

She reaches out and touches it and has to hold back a giggle.

They hardly ever get to do _Bad Vice President_ , but this afternoon she had picked Stephen up from pee-wee soccer practice because Ben’s meeting was running long and well, she’s excellent at negotiating.

“Sorry. Madam President. I didn’t mean to-–”

He trails off and moans into the pillow when Leslie slaps him lightly.

She leans in and kisses where her palm just landed. But, that’s hardly an appropriate punishment, so she spanks each side of his butt about five times in quick succession. Still pretty light, but Leslie knows how it can build up.

This time, instead of kissing his pink skin, she rubs one hand along his cheeks soothingly, while the other moves down and cups his balls.

“Had enough yet? Have you learned your lesson about going off-message at a press briefing?”

“Um…maybe…not quite yet,” Ben responds slowly, making Leslie smile.

She crawls around so that she’s next to him and leans in for a kiss. The kind of kiss, even after all of the kissing they’ve done in the last eight years, is enough to take her breath away.

“You’re very cute when you’re humoring me,” she tells him.

“I’m not. This is um, I do like this. I maybe like it when you’re the Bad Vice President a bit more, but honestly babe, this is not _not_ working for me.”

When she looks down, she can see that he’s all hard so she doubts he’s not being truthful. Plus he’s smiling at her and god, when he looks at her like that, she just needs to get her lips on his as fast as she can and-–

They both freeze when there’s a light but insistent knock on their bedroom door.

Ben gets down on the mattress and pulls the comforter over himself quickly, while Leslie, a bit more presentable in a pair of pajama pants and a camisole jumps up just as five year old Wesley slowly opens the door and peeks inside.

“Honey, what’s wrong?”

The little boy seems to be on the edge of tears as he walks in, heading right towards Leslie and straight into her arms.

“Bad dream,” he gets out. “Monsters and smelly toes and…”

“Oh, it’s okay. There are no monsters,” she tells him as Ben manages to wrap the comforter around himself and get close enough to put his arm around his son too.

“Can I sleep here?”

“Oh, Wes, let’s try to get you back in your room first, okay?” She tries, cuddling the little boy reassuringly.

At that, he bursts into tears.

“Okay, okay,” Ben says gently. “You can sleep with us for a little bit, honey.”

Leslie looks at her husband and they share a brief, _well, what can you do?_ look.

“I’m just going to, um, head to the bathroom for a minute or two and um…”

She watches as Ben waddles his way to their master bathroom, the comforter still swaddled around himself.

Leslie gets Wesley all tucked in and comfy right in the middle of the bed, his small green glasses off and safely on her bedside table. She kisses his forehead and nose and each little adorable cheek.

“Are you feeling safe now?”

Wesley nods.

“Do you think you can close your eyes for me?”

Wesley nods again and shuts his eyes. Leslie gives each small eyelid a gentle kiss while her son giggles.

“I’m going to go check on daddy. Will you be okay?”

He nods again.

When she gets in the bathroom, Ben is touching himself and although he seems slightly surprised to see her, he gives her a big smile.

“So, Mr. Vice President, I see you think you could sneak away from me,” she asks, narrowing her eyes at him.

“Never,” Ben responds, moving closer for a kiss.


	11. Triplet Tattoos

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wafflesjunior posted about wanted a fic where the triplets get tattoos. This is not really that.

“Hey, babe?” Ben asks, frowning slightly at one of his sixteen month old sons, who is currently lying down in the playpen with his equally exhausted siblings. “What’s this on Wesley’s arm?”

“Where?” Leslie asks, walking over and joining her husband in the living room to watch over their sleepy triplets.

“Right there,” Ben points at Wesley.

“Oh, that? That’s a caterpillar tattoo. Isn’t it adorable?”

Ben squints. Yep. That’s exactly what it looks like. A green caterpillar with purple stripes and big eyes. “Okay. But I mean, it’s not real, right?”

He watches as Leslie makes a face, before she tells him, “Seriously? You think I’d take our toddler to the pawn shop and get him a real tattoo?”

Ben starts laugh at the ridiculousness of it. She would never do that. “No. No. Of course not. No,” he pauses. “So, it’s temporary then?”

“Yes, Ben. It’s a temporary tattoo. We got it at the carnival in the park today. It’s completely safe. I even did a quick look-up on my Gryzzl pad first to make sure,” she assures him, as she leans down and softy touches Wesley’s sleeping form. “Sonia has a unicorn and Stephen has a cupcake. It’s all very responsible and very cute.”

He examines all three chubby little arms and smiles. The small temporary tattoos are pretty cute. The unicorn is smiling and the chocolate cupcake even has sprinkle details.

“But why do Sonia and Wes have animals and Stephen has a cupcake?”

“I was getting hungry and the cupcake looked good.”

Ben nods. “Makes sense.”


	12. Cersei and Joffrey Eating Waffles

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Merger-she-wrote prompted: The one time Ben outdid Leslie in gift giving. I'm sure it happened. Once.

**December 25, 2014**

Ben is a man with a plan. If fact, he’d been planning this Christmas for months now.

Or rather, he’d been planning how to surprise Leslie with a number of thoughtful presents that would leave her making that stupid face this Christmas.

Because he loves her so much.

Ben started collecting presents around the same time Leslie started getting really sleepy during her pregnancy.

There were some afternoons where she even took a nap and he could go to the mall. There were Saturday mornings when she slept in until ten in the morning–just long enough for him to sneak out to a store right when it opened at nine and be back home and in the kitchen making banana walnut pancakes by the time she got out of bed and wandered into the kitchen, looking all tousled and adorable in her maternity pajamas.

And really, it’s not even that much of a competitive thing…although, fine of course there is a little bit of that. But this year Ben just felt like getting her a lot of presents. Not even expensive ones necessarily, just ones that will show Leslie how much he loves her. How much she means to him.

And also? Unlike their anniversary, this time it’s not like she’ll be too busy running around trying to fix merger issues instead of enjoying her gifts.

This time they are both exhausted and trapped at home with their three six-week old infants. It’s perfect.

By Christmas morning everything is wrapped and under the tree-–a cute t-shirt with a tree on it, along with three baby t-shirts with little acorns on them (of course he got himself a tree shirt too so that they could all wear them at the same time, because he knows she’ll want to do that). A cozy pair of sock monkey flannel pajamas. A new biography on the Roosevelts. Scrapbook supplies.

In her stocking there are handmade coupons for waffles in bed, a backrub, and a _deluxe_ Ruth Bader Ginsburg (not that she needs a coupon for that), as well as a membership to the Hompherman Snow Globe Museum–-Ben double-checked and if she has a membership, they have to let her in, no matter how much she shakes the globes.

And the big gift…the show-stopper. It’s a delicate but simple silver bracelet with a string of garnets and sapphires and freshwater pearls–-a brilliant red, white, and blue creation. He’d had it made specially in Pawnee at the jewelry store, the one across the street from the toy store where he’d had Otter Yachter and her Li'l Sebastian created for her previously.

He was even going to do more, mainly because Ben would be sitting at work or on the couch next to her and he’d think of something else that would be just perfect, something that would make her smile when she opened it. But then the babies had been born and any extra time for gift-buying kind of went out the window.

“Babe, who are all those presents for?”

Ben smiles. He’s probably even looking a bit smug. “Oh? These presents? I don’t know, let’s see,” he gets down on the floor by the Christmas tree and starts reading the tags. “Leslie. Leslie. Leslie. Leslie. Oh, this one says _To the most adorable National Park Service Employee in the Country_ …I think that one is yours too, babe.”

“But,” her forehead wrinkles in confusion. “How did you…I mean…things have been so bonkers with the babies, how could you–-”

“I had a plan,” Ben says with a grin.

“You did,” Leslie agrees. “Wow. Okay. I just have one present for you.”

Ben watches as she points to the one largest gift under the tree. The one present that Ben didn’t wrap.

“That’s for me?”

“Yes! Open it,” she orders, grinning at him impatiently.

“Nope, you open some of yours first,” he counters, grabbing the book and the pajamas and putting them in her lap.

He enjoys the scene as Leslie enthusiastically rips the paper off, smiling and laughing when she sees the pajamas and then he has to practically stop her from reading the book right then, so they can continue opening presents before the next feeding time.

Leslie cries over the little baby acorn t-shirts and makes delighted noises when she sees the scrapbook supplies.

Then finally, she insists that it’s his turn.

Ben carefully pulls the ribbon off and unwraps the shiny red paper to discover…a quilt. A beautiful handmade quilt.

“Oh my god, babe. This is amazing.”

“Do you like it?” She asks excitedly, helping him unfold it and spread it out in front of them.

“It’s a _Game of Thrones_ theme, to kind of go with the throne. I worked on it this fall, sometimes when I was pretending to be sleeping in, but towards the end, I started to get a little stir-crazy and I might have gotten a bit carried away.”

Ben makes a face. Not the face, but a very amused face as he studies the top row of quilted designs. “Is this square Cersei and Joffrey eating…waffles?”

Leslie nods, smiling back at him.

“Alright,” he responds, grinning widely. “And this is…”

“Li'l Sebastian and Khalesi’s dragons,” Leslie tells him. “Flying over Harvey James Park.”

He’s full on laughing now, his new quilt spread out on the sofa. “And I see Littlefinger and Joe Biden are miniature golfing over here,” he points to the bottom left corner square.

“Yep. Sorry. I know I probably shouldn’t have included the only other man who is as sexy as you in your quilt but–-”

“I would be disappointed if the Vice President wasn’t there, honey,” Ben tells her honestly. “This is…an amazing gift. I love it. I love you,“

She smiles. “I love everything too. And you.”

“But you still have a present left.”

“Because you out-gifted me,” she complains teasingly, narrowing her eyes at him. “Are you trying to get me to make the stupid face?”

Ben smiles and leans in for a kiss, right before he puts the wrapped box that contains the bracelet in her lap. “No. I’m just trying to make you as happy as you make me.”


	13. 36 Candles

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is ridiculous dream-fic set during Road Trip.

She can’t believe it’s her thirty-sixth birthday today and that everyone forgot.

Her mom. Ron. Her teachers. Even JJ–-there was no birthday candle in her whipped cream topped waffles this morning. No balloons. No face-painting station. No maintenance cost analysis report or brand new Sonicare toothbrush.

Nothing.

Well, everyone forgot her birthday except Ann, the best and most beautiful friend in all of Pawnee. All of Indiana…probably the world.

“I’m sure it’ll be a great birthday,” her friend assures her as they make their way through the City Hall corridors, coffee cups and binders in hand.

“I’ve been dreaming of my thirty-sixth birthday forever. Big party, new car, cake, winning the bid for the Indiana Little League Baseball Tournament with a great guy, and then doing it on a cloud without getting pregnant or attacked by flying raccoons.”

“Right,” Ann agrees. “All you need now is a cloud and a pink car.”

“A hybrid,” Leslie says quickly.

“A hybrid car?”

“No. A hybrid guy. One who’ll be sexy and supportive but then also turn into a environmentally friendly vehicle that plays whale sounds,” she responds.

Ann nods. “If only. Okay, I have to go to a meeting.”

“Yeah. Crap. I’m late for a meeting too,” Leslie says quickly, turning down another hallway.

* * * * *

In Chris’s guest bedroom, Leslie tosses and turns some more, mumbles about a man/car that can recite Jimmy Carter’s _Crisis of Conscience_ speech, and falls back into a deep sleep.

* * * * *

When she’s at the meeting, Tom passes her a sex quiz and Leslie wastes no time in answering all of the questions, the first being who she would do it with.

The answer is so easy–of course it’s Ben Wyatt. She even draws a little kiss monster by his name. She would definitely do it with Ben Wyatt on a cloud. Ben the jerk. Ben the numbers robot. Benjamin.

When she actually sees him moments later, he’s in her office, looking at all her political biographies. He seems suitably impressed and then Ben is smiling at her, as he fills her wine glass up. Yep. She needs to make out with him on his face right now.

“Oh hey, I need to borrow your underpants for ten minutes.”

“Really?” She did not expect that.

“Yeah. I wouldn’t ask but it’s kind of important,” Ben tells her. “It’s for my meeting with Chris. For a bet. Floppy discs are expensive.”

She really has no idea what he’s talking about, but if Ben wants her panties, that’s good enough for her. Thankfully, she’s wearing a dress, so all she has to do is reach up underneath and pull them down. But before she hands them over, she makes a face.

“Wait. If I’m giving you these, I want something in return.”

“What?” He steps closer and he smells like waffles.

She really wants to lick him. Spray whipped cream all over him and rub her face over Ben's…everything. And yeah, she knows she’s supposed to avoid one-on-one, tension-y situations with him, but this is fine. She just took off her panties in front of him.

No big deal. Just one co-worker helping another out.

“I want yours too. It’s only fair.”

“My boxers?” Ben looks surprised.

Leslie nods and dangles her polka dot panties just inches from his super cute face. And then she adds, “for equality.”

Minutes later, she’s walking down the hallway wearing Ben’s black boxer-briefs up under her dress. And she knows he’s in a meeting with Chris while wearing her polka dot panties.

She also knows Ben has the cutest butt she’s ever seen. And a really great penis. Except that it kind of looked like an eclair when she saw it just a few minutes ago in her office.

But it also tasted like one, so it’s all good.

* * * * *

Leslie wakes up with a start, the TV still on, the credits to _Sixteen Candles_ scrolling down the screen.

_Whoa._

But just to make sure it really was a dream, she quickly lifts the covers up and looks down. Yep, she’s still wearing her t-shirt and polka dot underwear like when she first got into bed and not Ben’s black boxer briefs.

She tries to close her eyes but just can’t get comfortable again.

Of course, she’s tempted to sneak out to the living room and see if Ben is still up, but after just having his eclair-penis in her mouth (even if it was just a dream), that seems like an unwise idea.

When Leslie finally gives up on sleep, she picks up the remote again and starts surfing through channels looking for something to take her mind off Ben. And his underwear.

She stops when she comes across _Say Anything_. Leslie smiles as she snuggles down into the bed and tries to get comfortable.


	14. That one time (and probably not the only time) Ben got cockblocked by cake

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> emmylovestv prompted: I would love to hear about Ben being cockblocked by cake :)
> 
> I always loved that bit during the filibuster, because not only is she in skates (no doubt driving Ben crazy), but he also mentions that once Leslie starts thinking about birthday cake, she is basically useless until she’s eaten birthday cake.
> 
> Which means he’s witnessed this situation first-hand.
> 
> So…

“Oh! I forgot to tell you,” she says moving back a bit so she can use her lips for talking instead of kissing.

“What?”

“I narrowed it down to a chocolate birthday cake with raspberry frosting or a vanilla birthday cake with dark chocolate frosting,” Leslie tells him, even as his hands grip her hips and her fingers play with his hair.

“Um…what?”

“For Ann’s birthday next week!”

How could Ben not remember her best friend’s birthday? She’d only told him like a million times and–-

“Oh, right. Okay. I just…wasn’t thinking about _cake_ right now,” Ben says, grinning and pulling her close for another kiss, as she stretches her hands out across the back of the couch.

“But hey, I just thought of something I’d like to eat soon,” he adds, giving her a grin.

From her spot straddling his lap, Leslie can feel him all hard beneath her and she grinds into him, even as she starts to consider using fresh raspberries to maybe decorate the top of Ann’s birthday cake.

But if she still does that, can she add sprinkles too?

“Babe?”

“Hmmmm?” Leslie asks, absentmindedly, no longer kissing or grinding into her sexy campaign manager of a boyfriend.

“You stopped kissing back. I thought this was our night off for forgetting about the campaign and not working and just–-”

“Oh, I’m not thinking about the campaign. I’m thinking about birthday cake. Do sprinkles go with raspberries?”

Ben makes a confused face. “You’re still focusing on Ann’s birthday cake? Right now?”

Leslie nods. “The sprinkles would probably go better with the dark chocolate frosting.”

“Um…okay.” Ben starts to kiss her again and of course it’s awesome but…what if she made a quick birthday cake tonight? Just to test it out. She probably even has multi-colored sprinkles in the cabinet (of course she does) and she could decide if both sprinkles and raspberries would work.

Besides, what’s better than freshly baked birthday cake?

Ben’s lips are on her neck now and oh god, she even has some really fancy dark chocolate she could melt and put in the frosting. Rich chocolatey frosting.

_Mmmmmmm…_

“Honey, I feel like you’re not…” Ben trails off, before trying again and moving his mouth to the spot just under her ear that usually makes her squirm and moan and it still feels good of course, but…god, she just really wants to eat birthday cake.

Leslie moves back a bit on his lap, thankful that his hands on her ass keep her from falling off and onto the floor.

“What if we took a quick break?”

“A quick break? What?”

“Yes, just an hour or so. I need to make a cake.”

If it’s possible, Ben looks even more confused then he did earlier. “You need to…make a cake?”

“Yes. A birthday cake. It’ll just take an hour or so. And then we get to have cake!” She says excitedly, getting off his lap.

“But what about sex? We could have sex. We were starting to have sex.”

“Well we can do that later. But,” she tells him, backing up and towards her kitchen. “First cake. You’ll see, it’ll be delicious. I promise. Then we can do something with that,” Leslie’s eyes travel down his torso and to the prominent erection in his pants.

Ben just kind of stares at her incredulously and really, how can he not understand. It’s cake. Birthday cake even, which everyone knows is the best kind of cake.

But still, she does feel a little bad so she walks back and gives him a quick kiss.

“Cake, Ben. Cake first. Then penis. Oh! Maybe a penis-shaped cake for Ann’s birthday?” She asks, eyes widening with interest. “No. No. That’s not a good idea, plus it would look weird with sprinkles, right?”

“Yeah. Sure. Penis and sprinkles probably do not mix,” he agrees, moving one of her couch pillows awkwardly onto his lap.


	15. Woman’s Moon Cycle

They’re in his car, coming back to her house after a sneaky dinner in the next town over, when Leslie tells blurts out, “I’m…menstruating. I have my period. Aunt Flo is in town. So, um…that is what’s happening here.”

Dinner had not seemed like a good time to bring this up, since they were eating and before that, they had been at work (an equally inconvenient time), so this is really the first opportunity she’s had all day to let Ben know. Let him know that there is not going to be any making out tonight.

Mainly because it’s the first day and she feels pretty awful and not even holding hands at dinner while she ate a whole plate of spaghetti (and two of his raviolis), made up for the low throb of cramps or her sore breasts. Or the constant dull ache in her lower back.

“Um…okay?” Ben answers, a slightly puzzled expression on his face. But then his eyes widen and he sounds a little panicked when he adds, “Oh! Right now? Do you need to-–”

“Oh, no. No. It started this morning. No, that’s fine. I just mean later…you know, you probably don’t want to stay over. Because of the no sex.”

He pulls his car over to the side of Oak Street (about a block from her house, where he usually parks when he spends the night), and looks at her. “Do you not want me to stay over?”

“Do you still want to stay over?” She asks, trying to feel this situation out.

It’s always a little strange the first time, Leslie thinks, navigating the weird flossing habits, the period stuff, the snoring (she’s learned that Ben snores sometimes, but it’s honestly pretty sexy and cute).

Her and Justin’s intimate situation didn’t even last a full month and Dave just seemed to act even more awkward the three times when she had her period during their relationship. He had taken to just shaking and then kissing her hand those nights after walking her to her door. It was sweet but a little odd.

She could never tell if he was uncomfortable with it or if he thought that maybe she was?

“Well…yeah. Unless you don’t feel like company,” Ben answers, turning the car engine off.

She smiles at him. “Company would be nice. I just wanted to let you know the current situation. With my vagina and uterine lining.” Crap. She probably should not have said that last part.

“Alright. Well, um, thanks for that. And, I’d still like to stay over, if you want me to. And also, I mean, it’s been almost a month, this isn’t a huge surprise or anything. I kind of figured you would get your period eventually.”

Before she opens the passenger-side door, she tells him, “Well, you figured right. Good call, sir. But I’m warning you, I kind of just want to put on pajamas and lay on the couch with you and watch a History Channel documentary or two. And then probably go to bed. No funny business.”

He turns and gives her a goofy grin. “Well, that sounds super fun. And I don’t even have my period.”

About fifteen minutes later, when she comes back downstairs in her worn flannel pjs, she’s taken a couple of advil and has even settled for wearing a pad in her not-very-cute black cotton panties.

Ben is on the sofa with his shoes off, and his jacket and tie hanging over the back of one of her chairs. He looks comfortable–-like he completely belongs in her living room, just relaxing on her couch after dinner.

He looks up as she walks towards him. “Okay, so you really have a lot of History Channel DVDs to choose from. I didn’t even know there were this many. I have thee piles going–-US history, lots of guns, and something I’m calling, _it’s a mystery, dude_.”

“US History,” Leslie answers without even bother to mull it over much, as she sits next to him and looks at the three tall stacks of DVDs on her coffee table.

“That’s kind of what I figured, although, I would really like to watch this one sometime,” Ben says, holding up a case from the mystery pile that says _In Search of History: Dragons_ on the case.

“Okay,” she agrees, leaning closer and pulling a case out of the pile. “How about... _The Revolution_ tonight?”

“Perfect,” Ben responds, getting up and placing the disc into the little tray.

There are two mugs on the table. Leslie moves closer and sniffs the air. It’s all minty and sweet. There’s also a box of cookies on the coffee table as well.

“Oh, I made tea,” he tells her, sitting back down and leaning back. “You had a lot of tea too. Some of it was expired, but I found a few boxes that were okay.”

Leslie snuggles against him and leans her head against Ben’s shoulder.

“I made something called _Woman’s Moon Cycle_. For um, your cycle.”

She sits back up and looks at him, trying not to laugh. “You’re drinking _Woman’s Moon Cycle_ too?”

“No,” Ben grins. “I also found some _Sleepytime_ in your cabinet. I’m having that. I like the little bear on the package in the sleep hat. It’s really–-’

"Cute,” they both finish together.

“Yeah.”

“So, will you watch this documentary, drink tea, and snuggle with me? Then I was thinking maybe we could go upstairs and go to sleep. No funny business,” Ben tells her. Then he narrows his eyes just a bit with mock seriousness and adds, “I mean it. You’re not getting any of this tonight, Ms. Knope. So just keep it in your pants.”

Leslie laughs and just pushes closer as Ben pulls the afghan down from the back of the couch and covers them both up.


	16. It's when she's at her quietest that he's really afraid.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For the sentence prompt: "It's when she's at her quietest that he's really afraid." I was supposed to write five more. Thank you, bookworm03!

It’s when she’s at her quietest that he’s really afraid.

“Babe? Are you sure this is a good idea?” Ben asks, from where they’re crouching on the other side of Jeremy Jamm’s car in the City Hall parking lot.

Leslie had hardly said a word over the last few minutes and now Ben is wondering if he should maybe have checked to make sure it was just water she used.

“Here he comes. Get ready,” she whispers and then roars (actually _roars!_ ) as she jumps up quickly and whips her water balloon at Councilman Jamm. It hits him squarely in the chest, the burst balloon soaking his shirt and even splashing up on his face and hair.

Ben sighs and throws his balloon too, catching the man who had tried to ruin their wedding last month just a bit north of his crotch. Ben winces but then smiles when Leslie laughs loudly and high-fives him.

Alright, he thinks, that did feel pretty good.


	17. If there's something you'd like to try...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For the sentence prompt, If there's something you'd like to try. Thank you poehlaris! :)
> 
> This was _almost_ morphine Ben singing a Smiths song...

“If there’s something you’d like to try…” Ben says and then trails off, his forehead crinkling just a little bit.

Leslie stares at him and then down at the box in her lap. The one with all of the sex toys in it. The one she had hidden in her drawer (not that she has _other_ sex toy boxes hidden around the house or anything) and that he had accidentally found a few minutes ago…and now their fourth date has turned a little _awkward_.

She rummages around a bit and then holds up a pair of handcuffs–-a pair of pink fuzzy handcuffs and grins at him. Ben’s face relaxes and he smiles back, before leaning closer for a kiss.


	18. There were hundreds of ways that it could have gone, maybe even thousands, but he honestly never thought it would be something like this.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For the first sentence prompt: There were hundreds of ways that it could have gone, maybe even thousands, but he honestly never thought it would be something like this.
> 
> Thank you benwyattforcongress/zarrati!

There were hundreds of ways that it could have gone, maybe even thousands, but he honestly never thought it would be something like this. Because, kissing Leslie Knope just outside of Chris’s office at 5:15 on a Thursday is probably the worst plan for finally planting his lips on hers.

He could have kissed her in a maintenance closet, at his house, or even at the grocery store, if they had unexpectedly run into each other there–-maybe somewhere in the cereal aisle?

But nope, here he is, his hands pulling her face closer and her tongue already in his mouth, all as her Indianapolis trip receipts flutter down to the floor.

When her arms wrap around him and they keep on kissing, Ben decides that he’ll happily take it this way, regardless.

He’ll take the way she moans lightly into his mouth and the way one of her hands is wandering down his back and eagerly cupping his butt. Her semi-sneaky butt-groping move almost makes him laugh, but then she presses into him even more and he can feel her breasts and hips push against him and all he can do is be thankful that no matter how it’s happening, he’s finally kissing Leslie.


	19. Considering her years on the debate team and her triumphs at Model UN, Sonia was surprised to realize at this moment that she had stage fright.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For the sentence prompt: Considering her years on the debate team and her triumphs at Model UN, Sonia was surprised to realize at this moment that she had stage fright.
> 
> Thank you wafflesjunior! :)

Considering her years on the debate team and her triumphs at Model UN, Sonia was surprised to realize at this moment that she had stage fright. But she did-–her heart was pounding in her chest, she was sweating, and she was pretty sure she might throw up. She also kind of wanted to take her shoes off and hold them in her hand…for no apparent reason.

But then she took a deep breath, closed her eyes for a second, and thought about all the moments that lead to this one–-the hours of practice, the studying, the colony of doves she had set free over the last couple of years. And then she smiled.

“Hey blondie? Are you ready?”

Sonia nodded at the stage manager and took the top hat he was holding out. When she put it on she was no longer Sonia Knope-Wyatt but _The Amazing SoSo_.

Yeah. She was ready to go kick some serious open mic night ass.


	20. I'm almost afraid to ask, but what on earth are you doing?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For the sentence prompt: "I'm almost afraid to ask, but what on earth are you doing?"
> 
> Thank you benwyattforcongress/zarrati! :)

“I’m almost afraid to ask, but what on earth are you doing?”

“What?” Leslie responds, putting the pad of paper down and looking at her barely awake and squinting boyfriend.

Ben was her _boyfriend_ again. She felt her eyes threaten to water just thinking about it. Ever since last night after their meeting at the Smallest Park, she’s felt the need to pinch herself to make sure she wasn’t dreaming. Even after they had kissed and decided to say screw it.

Even later, after he had taken her home and taken her to bed–-sunk inside her and made her writhe and moan.

“That, right there. With the paper and the pencil. Were you drawing me?”

“What?” She repeats. “Drawing you? No. No. Of course not. That would be weird.”

“Yeah, well, kind of,” Ben agrees, sitting up and smiling at her.

He reaches over and grabs the sketch pad and examines her in-progress drawing–-him lying in bed, eyes closed.

It’s actually pretty good, if she doesn’t say so herself.

“This is me?”

Leslie sighs. There was probably no point in trying to deny it. “Yes.”

“Sleeping?”

“Posing,” she corrects.

“Um. Okay. Not really, considering I was unconscious, but why?”

“I’m taking a community rec center drawing class with Ann. I was just practicing. I wanted to sketch but I didn’t want to get out of bed. I…didn’t want you to go away,” she tells him quietly.

“Hey. I’m not going to go away.”

“Good. Because we’re doing this.”

Ben pulls her down back into the covers and snuggles her. “We’re doing this.”

She smiles into a kiss that’s mostly nose touching and giggling.

“But please don’t show anyone your naked drawing of me, okay?”


End file.
